Denial's Not Just a River in Eygpt
by Music Writes
Summary: The only thing worse then hating someone is when you realize that you don't. Sequel to Squishy Arm Chairs


Denial's not just a river in Egypt

"And then the look on McGonagall's face was just priceless! Honestly whatever came over Potter-"

Lily's mind began to wander as her best friends Alice and Marlene chattered endlessly about the scene they had just witnessed in the Great Hall. Of course they didn't know the full story. But how was she supposed to tell them that she had been making bets and friendly conversation with her sworn enemy? The boy she loved to hate! The boy she told she'd rather go out with the giant squid then with him!

She didn't that's how.

Lily snapped her mind back into focus as they reached the portrait and said the password. As she stepped through into the common room behind her friends she noticed a rather rowdy group of boys sitting in the best chairs around the fire. With a bit of a smile she noticed that the squishiest arm chair was claimed by James Potter. He may have lost the bet to sit in it once but that obviously didn't stop him from sitting in it again.

"Lily what are you smiling at?" Marlene asked shooting a curious glance at her friend.

Lily snapped her eyes foreword at that all traces of the smile gone from her face. She feigned an innocent look as her friends examined her. "Nothing I wasn't smiling." Lily claimed, desperately hoping that her friends wouldn't look over in the Marauders direction.

But alas her hopes where not heeded as Alice shot a curious look where Lily had been smiling. "Oh!" she squealed shrilly, delighted. "Look Marlene look!"

Marlene looked quickly as Alice all but jumped up and down on the spot. Lily could feel her face beginning to heat up.

"_Potter?" _Marlene gasped surprised. Lily's face was so hot now she would be willing to bet that you could fry an egg on it. _What is with my sudden obsession with betting?_ Lily thought dryly before focusing her attention on her squealing friends, just as the rest of the common room was doing.

"Since when have you fancied Potter?" Marlene asked her arms crossed over her chest, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah how come we weren't told of this interesting development?" Alice asked mock angry.

"What development?!" Lily cried running her hands through her red hair. "I don't fancy him!"

Marlene snorted. "Uh huh. Then why were you just smiling over in his direction Lils?" she asked laughingly.

"You know come to think of it." Alice began "You have been acting very differently towards him this year Lily."

Marlene looked thoughtful. "She's right you have."

Lily rolled her eyes. "I have not! I've acted the same way around James this year as I have for the last six!"

Both Alice and Marlene looked at each other confidently. Lily looked at them both cautiously. What did they know that she didn't?

"No Lily you haven't." Alice said shaking her head smiling.

Confusion covered Lily's features. "Yes I have! Do you not pay attention or are we talking about different people?!"

"You haven't Lily because all year you guys have been civil not to mention nice to each other. Why I don't think you've cursed him once! Not to mention all those hours spent _alone_ together in the Head quarters." Alice said shaking her head at Lily's expression.

"Well maybe we just grew out of the mean, name calling, pranking, hexing phase did you ever think of that!" Lily cried out in her defense.

"Not to mention-" Marlene continued as though Lily had never even spoken. "You just called him James."

Lily stopped. She had no idea what to say to that. She supposed the easiest thing was that she could have just told them about the bet with James but for some reason she didn't want to. Mostly because that was something she wanted to keep to herself but also because she knew they would just tease her more if they knew about it.

"Ooo Marlene I do believe we've just rendered her speechless." Alice said with a giggle at Lily's face.

Lily scowled at her friends as they both giggled.

"Regardless of all of that I do not fancy the bloke." Lily said defiantly, placing her folded arms against her chest.

Marlene only giggled louder. "Lily come on, if you two don't fancy each other then Romeo and Juliet hated each other."

"Puts a whole new spin on the play then doesn't it?" Lily asked without missing a beat, her hands now on her hips.

Alice laughed. "You know Lils the Nile's not just a river in Egypt."

Lily looked at her puzzled. "What?"

"You know" Alice explained. "The Nile. Denial. It all makes perfect sense." She said waving her hand in the air as if brushing away the look on Lily's features.

Lily just looked at her two friends. "You two are crazy." She said finally.

"Are we?" Marlene asked her eyebrows raised.

"Yes, you are." Lily said wearily.

"Well…" Marlene began. "At least we don't fancy James Potter!" and with that her and Alice ran in a fit of giggles up to their dormitory leaving Lily alone in the common room.

Where, she just realized, the Marauders were sitting staring at Lily having hear everything.

Lily glanced at them out of the corner of her eye. Peter looked excited, Sirius looked rather smug and Remus looked shocked. And James well-

Lily stole a quick glance at James. His face was completely blank but Lily thought she saw a little glimmer of hope in his glass framed eyes.

Lily closed her own eyes. After six years of denying his advances after six years of loathing the very ground the boy walked on, the very air he _breathed_, she went and started to fancy him.

"Damn you Potter." She whispered aloud opening her eyes and turning to face him.

He looked up at her, his hazel eyes wide. "What did I do?" he asked confused as for once he hadn't done anything for her to get mad at him for.

Lily sighed and ran her hand through her hair again, reminding both James and herself of the habit he used to have that she had hated so much. Quickly she pulled her hand from her tresses and looked over in his direction with a sigh. Fixing her gaze on his she looked him square in the eye before saying….

"You made me have to find someone else to hate."

AN-the next shot will be more focused on James in case you were wondering. If you want one of what the Marauders were talking about before the girls came in and what James was thinking during the girls talk let me know, if not its gonna be something else.


End file.
